The Menlo Park handyman accused of shooting a cab driver during a botched robbery last fall is facing a first-degree murder trial but whether he may face death remains up in the air.
Lousa Mataele, 31, could face the death penalty for the fatal shooting of 21-year-old Davinder Singh and the attempted murder of a fellow cab passenger because they both allegedly occurred during a felony robbery.
In Superior Court yesterday, Mataele pleaded not guilty to all charges, including great bodily injury and attempted robbery. He returns to court July 9 to set a jury trial date.
The District Attorney's Office, though, has yet to formally announce whether it will seek the highest punishment.
With prosecutor Al Giannini wrapped up in another murder case, it may be quite some time before it can hear a presentation by defense attorneys Edward Pomeroy and Gerritt Rutgers on why their client should be spared. The sheer amount of evidence and research needed is another consideration, Pomeroy said.
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